Why don't we get all the good concerts?

Questions like these continually flood The Daily Collegian office in the form of letters to the editors or complaints about "the system." But the process of putting on a show for Penn State is much more complicated than many people realize.

Macrina Martin, assistant director for the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, is assigned to advise the biggest concert organization, the University Concert Committee. Consisting of approximately 120 students, the committee is responsible for "bringing popular music to University Park," Martin said.

First, the UCC must request dates for the facility, which is usually Rec Hall. These requests are submitted the spring before the fall term of the shows. The facilities have many other obligations such as basketball games, volleyball games and other sporting events, and the committee must work around these, while keeping in mind dates for special events like homecoming and Ebony and Ivory Week, Martin said.

The UCC then gives the list of dates to Harris Goldberg who works with Concert Ideas. He acts as a middle agent with a list of schools who need shows, and he "shops around for the shows," Martin said.

Goldberg has been in the business for 15-20 years and can buy concert dates in volume since many schools can be in competition for the same act.

Not every act wants to play a college, though, and many variables exist, such as the size of the hall. Rec Hall only holds about 5,000 people, so the largest amount of money that can be collected from an event is $75,000, Martin said.

But each show has overhead costs that can range from $13,000 to $15,000 depending on the amount of security needed and other expenses, she said.

Also, Penn State is "in the middle of nowhere. You can't get a big plane in here," Martin added.

Once Goldberg has a list of potential candidates, he presents the list to the committee's policy board, which is made up of students, faculty and staff who represent student organizations, some of which have musical knowledge such as WPSU and WEHR, and representative groups such as the Interfraternity Council and Panhel, the Student Union Board, Black Caucus, Undergraduate Student Government, the Graduate Student Association and many other groups.

These members are given a list of dates and possible prices and then asked to vote to offer the act a bid.

Once the board offers a bid, the organization can negotiate and bargain with the act for a better price.

The preparation for a show takes about three to four weeks, though Martin likes to take more time with it because many issues must be taken care of. The contracts must be gone over several times to make sure that the school can adhere to all the requirements.

Once Martin signs the contracts, they are sent to the University's treasurer to sign since it is actually Penn State that is signing the contract. They may send the contracts to Risk Management to see that no other problems exist.

If the act still agrees to everything in the contract, it is signed and the check is issued.

But Martin's job and the jobs of the committee heads just begin.

Tiffany Deli is in charge of catering the day of the show for the artists and crew. The crew often begins at 9 a.m. the day of the show and they may not finish until 3 a.m. that night with load-out. Load-out is difficult because many of the crew members are tired from the long day of work.

Security must be organized, dressing rooms must be arranged, chairs must be numbered, lights must be set up and Martin and the committee heads must work with the production crew of the band to make sure everything is in order.

The committee strives to maintain a professional attitude since their job entails working with production companies that demand smooth, safe set-up and tear-down of delicate, expensive equipment.

At the concert, committee members are assigned to usher and help with seating as well as work a checkroom since cameras and recorders are not permitted. Also, members must sell hearing protection if concert-goers wish to plug their ears.

Recently, a need for diversity has prompted the University to set up a $25,000 fund so the committee can sponsor acts that might not yield a profit, such as jazz and zydeco acts. Any profits the UCC makes are plugged right back into the budget, though the committee only keeps 15 percent of the profit.

From the gross receipts, the performers' base costs must be paid, and Martin must document the overhead to the acts. Whatever is left over is split with the artist, Martin said.

Martin estimates that a show such as Elvis Costello would cost $45,000.

However, the Univesity's plans for the new Convocation Center, which may hold up to 16,000 people, may make concert plans easier.

"We'll be a world-class facility. The hall will not be a redone gym that we have to convert into a contorted concert hall," Martin said.

The committee is proud of the acts that it sponsored. Recent acts include the award-winning Steve Winwood / Level 42, R.E.M. / 10,000 Maniacs, Ziggy Marley, Tracy Chapman, the Pretenders / Iggy Pop, Robert Palmer, the Kinks, Cyndi Lauper, James Taylor, the Hooters, Bobby McFerrin / Stanley Jordan, Regency, George Carlin, Robin Williams and many others.

"We feel we've had some outstanding artists," Martin said. "We haven't felt that we've missed anything."

But other University student organizations sponsor what they call "alternative music."

"We've had complaints that we cater to too specific an audience. If you want rock or trendy music, there are more than enough outlets in State College to go around," said Andy Wisdom, secretary of the Asylum Dance Club.

The Asylum is an all-age dance club that has a low ticket price and holds its shows in the HUB Ballroom.

The bands for the Asylum come to them and ask to play, or, as in the case of Information Society, members such as president Bob Moncavage, seek them.

The group must be aware of the UCC's activities, by making sure the concerts do not fall on the same day. The Asylum asks the UCC "for help or permission, or both," Wisdom said. The Asylum solicited the help of the UCC for the Information Society show.

Although the Asylum's budget is much smaller, many local bands like to play because, "We tend to pay a lot," Wisdom said.

Wisdom added that the Asylum draws its audience by listing names of bands the groups cover in their ads. That brings a very "New-wave-type kind of people. People who go to fraternities don't come to us," Wisdom said.

The Asylum has about 25 staff members and is run from 202 HUB. Future shows include Sire Recording Artists Ocean Blue with Toy Memory on March 31.

Another alternative group is the Student Union Board's Concert Committee, which is headed by Mike Banfield.

Bandfield selects the bands by going out and trying to find them, and some of the bands come to him. Their shows are in the HUB Ballroom and are always free.

Instead of just presenting one show, Banfield said the committee prefers to promote the smaller bands.

"If you like those bands (like the Replacements) you should like the smaller bands," he said.

"If (students) go see R.E.M. for $15, they should have enough brains to go see an alternative band for free," he said.